Wakanohana falls
Chiyotaikai beats grand champion in playoff
Posted: Sunday January 24, 1999 06:15 PM
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Chiyotaikai: "I wasn't thinking about winning. I am overwhelmed with emotion." AP |
TOKYO (AP) -- Sekiwake (junior champion) Chiyotaikai beat yokozuna (grand champion) Wakanohana twice Sunday to clinch victory in the 15-day New Year Grand Sumo tournament.
It was the first tournament win for the 22-year-old Chiyotaikai.
He is virtually assured to be promoted to the ranking of ozeki (champion), sumo's second highest position, at a board of directors meeting Wednesday.
In the final scheduled bout of the day, Chiyotaikai charged at Wakanohana with hand thrusts and twisted him down, leaving the two wrestlers tied at 13-2, forcing a playoff bout.
Chiyotaikai fought off Wakanohana at the ring's edge and pushed him out in a second playoff bout after the two wrestlers were ruled to have exited the ring simultaneously in the first playoff bout.
"I wasn't thinking about winning. I am overwhelmed with emotion," said Chiyotaikai, who received a victory cup from Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi before 11,000 spectators.
Chiyotaikai also received the 10 million yen (US$69,000) tournament victory prize, in addition to the 2 million yen (US$18,000) Outstanding Performance prize and the 2 million yen Fighting Spirit Award.
In other major bouts, ozeki Musashimaru fought off yokozuna Takanohana's driving attempt at the ring's edge and twisted him down. Both Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani from Hawaii, and Takanohana ended at 8-7.
Sekiwake (junior champion) Kotonowaka threw down ozeki Takanonami and wound up the tournament at 8-7.
Takanonami finished at 6-9. Despite his losing record, Takanonami will maintain his ozeki ranking in the next tournament in March.
Ozekis have the privilege of keeping their ranking unless they lose the majority of bouts for two consecutive tournaments.
The Outstanding Performance award also went to sekiwake Musoyama, who ended at 10-5, including victories over yokozunas Wakanohana and Takanohana. Musoyama was slapped down by No. 4 maegashira (rank-and-file wrestler) Toki (7-8) Sunday.
No. 3 maegashira Akinoshima won his third 2 million yen Technique prize by driving out No. 10 maegashira Ganyu (8-7) for an 11-4 record, including a victory over Chiyotaikai.
No. 14 maegashira Chiyotenzan pushed out No. 10 maegashira Gojoro (7-8) and won an Outstanding Performance award for his 10-5 record.
No. 8 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, finished at 9-6, losing to No. 2 maegashira Takatoriki (8-7), who drove him out of the ring.
In the juryo division, just below the top makuuchi division, No. 6-ranked Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, sent out No. 9-ranked Yotsukasa, leaving both wrestlers at 9-6.
No. 9-ranked Hoshitango, or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, pushed out No. 5-ranked Daishi (6-9) and ended at 7-8.
No bouts were scheduled in junior divisions, but No. 18-ranked Kuniazuma, Brazilian Vander Ramos, won the title in the lowest division of jonokuchi with a 7-0 record.
Wrestlers in junior divisions have only seven bouts during the 15-day tournament.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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